Injection molding is a critically important process for manufacturing plastic parts. Manufacturers may produce large quantities of articles having complex geometries in a single production step. In many instances, finishing operations may not be necessary.
In injection molding, molten plastic may be injected at high pressure into a mold, which may be the inverse of the desired shape of the article to be molded. The mold may be made by a mold maker (or toolmaker) from metal (e.g., steel or aluminum) and precision-machined to form the features of the desired part. The plastic may cool until hardened, thereby resulting in the desired molded article.
Articles produced by injection molding pervade modern life. Examples include automotive parts, appliances, toys, components used in medical devices, consumer electronic goods, household goods, and communication and industrial equipment.
Some injection molding applications may employ multiple processing stations. Examples of such applications include in-mold assembly operations, insert loading, over-molding, providing additional cooling time for certain articles, in-mold decorating, in-mold labeling, and in-mold assembly stations. Increasing its speed and/or accuracy associated with such applications may provide substantial benefits.